Another Milestone........

Well this week has been quite trying in many ways. I have known that tomorrow was fast approaching and just wished I could stop it. 7 months and it just seems like yesterday that I could hug and kiss my beautiful boy James.

We have had some sad news from the Holmes Family about beautiful Immogen. Immie has relapsed for the third time. It is very hard for her family but as our wonderful Miss Immie is such a battler and fighter we are not giving up hope. As long as she can fight we must all fight along with her. Stand by Fiona, Jason and Kody, offer support and positive thoughts and prayers. This disease is such a tough fight but our precious kids are worth the struggle. The treatment they endure, needles, scans and many procedures amaze us all in the strength they carry. I know I have learnt many lessons from James and many others that are still fighting. We need to remember these brave kids and thank them for how much they have given to us and everyone that they have touched. We should be very grateful for being able to walk, talk, sing and dance. Listen to music, enjoy the sunshine, treasure our children and be happy to have the chance to make things better.

Some days are harder than others but as we are left behind we must make the most of it. I know James would tell me to stop crying and it will all be ok. I just wish for one more hug, one more moment............

Sending good thoughts, vibes and prayers to the Holmes Family, stay together, help each other and wipe the tears together.

Family is what life is really all about.

6 months........

Today is a very hard day, I have been thinking about this day for quite a few weeks. Not looking forward to it, dreading it. I knew it was going to be hard but it is really hard. We now have James' room painted and Brent has moved it. It has bought back some life again in the room. Brent has been wonderful and kept a picture that James had hanging in his room, he as made room to display some of his things as well. I love looking at James' things that he has collected, played with, enjoyed and treasured. I dream of watching him play with them again.

We all miss him soooo much, it is amazing the giant hole that has been left.

You Will Never Be Forgotten

written by Jessica Andrews

I'll always see your face

The corner of your smile

And all the little things that no one will ever know

Like it was yesterday, won't ever fade away

Goodbye is just a word that I will never say

You will never be forgotten

A million days could pass us by

But what is time but just a dream

Oh I still feel you here with me

You're more than just a memory

Oh you will never be forgotten

I can't hold you hand

Or look into your eyes

And when I talk to you

It just echoes in my mind

But if hearts are made of dust

And if we fell from the stars

I look up tonight and know just where you are

You will never be forgotten

A million days could pass us by

But what is time but just a dream

Oh I still feel you here with me

You're more than just a memory

Oh you will never be forgotten

And the world just keeps on going

It has no way of knowing

That you're gone

You will never be forgotten

A million days could pass us by

But what is time but just a dream

Oh I still feel you here with me

You're more than just a memory

Oh you will never by forgotten.

Over a month.......ooops!

Well, here we are again, over a month this time. Sorry. I have a good excuse, I have been working. After doing some relief work at our friends real estate, they offered me a job. Which has kept me quite busy.

Over the past month I have been doing little bits and pieces in my beautiful boy James' room. This has been very hard and sometimes I have just walked in, looked around and just cried. Today we have managed to get all James' Lego and display it near our front door. We have put up some glass shelves and some white shelves to display it all. What a feat. I can't believe how much James has collected over time. It has turned out sooooo good that I wanted to share how it looks. We also got his light saber that he was given for Christmas in 2007 from his Uncles and Aunties from the Thomas side of the family and put it up with his photo we had at the funeral. It looks fantastic. Slowly things are getting sorted and tidied and we are finding a place for things, so that we can remember our boy. Once we have finished sorting out James' room we are going to paint it and Brent is going to move in.

We have had Brent's 16th Birthday, Brent managed to get his learners permit on his birthday which he was very proud off. It has been strange that where ever he wants to go, he has to drive. He is getting pretty good, but has a bit of a heavy excellerator foot. He is getting the hang that he has to slow down a bit or he won't get his licence because he is going too fast. lol. We all went out for tea for his birthday to Chatters. It was lovely, Grandma, Grandfather, Lidija, Liam, Shane and myself all went. We all had a great dinner and then came home for cheese cake, yum! Brent got lots of things for his car so he was very happy.

The boys have also been on holidays over the past two weeks. Brent worked the first week and then was lucky enough to go on a Canteen camp (a camp for kids with cancer, siblings, offspring and beveared kids as well). Brent has been to these type of camps before and so he had an absolute ball. The only problem was there was one kid that snored in his dorm so Brent didn't get much sleep. lol. He has been making up for it today when he got out of bed at 11am.

Liam has been a bit lost over the last two weeks, with me working and Shane working and Brent being away, Liam has been palmed off and handed around to different people to keep him amused and entertained. He has been very good with this and has managed to get through the holidays unscathed, I hope.

Shane is doing pretty good, although the weather has not been on his side, so he has been doing some jobs that are inside which has been helpful. He keeps getting new jobs to keep him busy which is also good. People are telling their friends and they are calling and asking for quotes and then getting Shane to do the work, which is all good for him and us.

The only bit a sad news to tell is that Brent's girlfriend is no longer on the scene. She felt that she needed a change and then she ended it with Brent. They have stayed friends, so that is something. Brent has (I think) gotten over the hurt and the not understanding, but that is what being a teenager is all about, learning, growing, getting hurt, then picking yourself up of the ground and continuing on with life. Sometimes it is a little harder to pick yourself up.

Well see you later, hope all is well, keep smiling and remembering our beautiful boy.

Four Months Ago

Today.............. well it has been four months since we lost our beautiful boy James. Not a day, hour, minute goes by that I don't think of him. My wonderful mum reminded me on Monday of the amazing full moon on the night he passed away, and now ever month it is such a strong reminder of James watching over us all. The moon last night was just amazing, peeping out from behind the clouds. I tried to get a photo but it just didn't look any good. Did not capture what I was seeing. I would like to thank all the people that everyday think of us and remember our James. He was an amazing boy who touched so many lives. I am still hearing of wonderful stories of how he touched people and the way that they remember him.

Ok, onto how we are going, Shane has got some big jobs coming up next month in Seabird and we would like to thank Andrew and Deb for recommending Shane. We will be forever greatful of this work that is keeping a roof over our heads. Shane is enjoying being his own boss, but seems to be busy all the time. I think sometimes he would like another pair of hands so he isn't so tired when he comes home of an evening.

Brent has just finished his first set of Year 11 exams. He feels that he went ok, Brent got some of his results today, which I was amazed at and he was very happy with them. Chemistry was 82% which is an 'A' in the old way. Physics he got half of the test back, 80% which was also very good. He is very happy so far, but is a bit hesitant with his Specialist Maths subject, apparently it is quite hard. As long as he passes that is all we ask of him.

Liam is going good at the moment. Doing lots of sport at school with Interschool carnivals and lunch time football matches. It is all very exciting.

Now to me, I have got some relief work at the primary school and today was at our local Realestate agent, who is a friend. It has all been well timed, when I am feeling my lowest someone rings me and askes if I can help them. It is amazing how it has worked lately. People just seem to ring me and get me out of the house when I need it most. They think I am doing them a favour but in reality it is helping me more than ever. I have struggled to think of what I am going to do now, with all this free time on my hands, but doing relief work at the moment is helping to know that I can still be of value to people. My days start out hard, but end with me feeling exhausted but full filled and feeling better about what I have accomplished in the day.

Thank you to everyone that still follows us. For thinking of James and keeping him alive in our hearts and around us every day.

James Christopher Thomas

A beautiful boy

Missed everyday

Loved everyday

Growing in our hearts

Stronger as time goes by.

We miss you.

xoxo

Long Time No Blog

Sorry about the time frame and I know no one will hold it against me. It has been quite hard over the last few weeks. It just seems to be getting harder, not easier the more that time passes.

We have all been very busy with different things.

Liam was lucky enough to go on two camps over the school holidays. It was very good for him, he got a lot out of it. This was the first holidays without his best friend and brother, I am sure it would have been very hard for him. The first camp was organised from the Hospital for breaved sibblings which helped Liam a lot. Gave him different was to cope and remember his brother. The second camp was with Camp Quality were he was kept busy 24 hours a day for 5 days straight. He came home exhausted! He made new friends and saw old friends, had louds of fun and laughter.

Brent has been busy with his studies for Year 11 TEE. He has got 6 subjects and they are now starting to get ready for their first semester exams, which will be in the beginning of June. Brent has also spent a lot of his spare time with georgous Lidija. We have all grown very fond of Lidija and her family. She brings in a fresh breath of air and lots of laughter. We all need this and Lidija has been a wonderful addition to our family. No, I am not marring them off just yet, but it has been nice to still have three kids at the dinner table a couple nights a week! Brent and Shane have also been fixing up Brent's VL Commodore. They have pulled the motor apart and got something done to it, (not quite sure what) then have managed to get it all back together again and running! Brent is very excited about getting his learners permit in June and can't wait to be able to 'drive everywhere', as he says. Yeah right we will see about that!

Shane has been busy with work. He has had a few varied jobs from floor tiling, to brick paving, patios and building play equipment. We are still getting established and trying to get money in, which is getting there, all be it a bit slow for Shane but we are still managing quite well. I keep telling Shane it takes about 18 months to start a business and getting it up and running well. We just need to be patient.

I have been fumbling around in the dark for the past couple of weeks. Not sure what to do or where to go. I have helped Shane with a few jobs when he has needed that extra set of hands, have got 3 hours work per week at the local school, doing administration work. Last week I was called in to do two days of relief work as everyone was sick, but I have now also caught the bug, so that was not too good. On Thursday I took the plunge and got a tattoo to remember my wonderful boy James. It was emotional, but joyful, at the same time. Not as painful as I had expected. Shane is also thinking of having one done, just not sure what design. Everyone has been very supportive and appreciative of my tattoo which has also helped, but also made me a little sad. It is just so close to my heart and everyone elses. Time passes and it just doesn't seem fair that he is not here enjoying life as he should. I miss him so much, but feel he still had so much more to give and do, it just does not seem fair at all.

Well, to all that still visit our blog page, thank you. I will try and be more regular in future, but please don't hold me to that.

Happy Birthday James!

Wow, 13 years ago today a beautiful boy was born into our special family. We had challenges from the start. James was a fighter from the first day he was born. James spent 6 days in PMH for Respitory Distress on pure oxygen and on high doses of antibiotics. He came back to Kalamunda Hospital on Day 6 and we went home after 5 days there. We enjoyed James and his playful antics for many years. He really entertained us, made us laugh, his cheeky grin was always around. He always challenged everything and everyone. Gave everything a go no matter how hard it looked. James would also look at the bright side of life and tackle things head on. If you were with James he would always ensure that you were ok. James did not like it when anyone fell behind, he would always help them up and on there way. James loved his tee ball. Even when he started to get his first signs of cancer he would still try to go onto the field and do his best, even if he was seeing two balls coming towards him at great speed. It frustrated him when he had to give up tee ball and sit on the side lines and watch. But not a sad face did we see, he encouraged his teams mates and congratulated them when they made a home run. He always asked how his brother had gone in his games and always wanted to watch him play.

James was truely an inspiration to us all, no matter what he did, he did with great pride and always with a smile on his face.

We hope you have a fantastic 13th Birthday James. Hit a home run!

Happy Birthday Beautiful Boy!

We all love you and miss you.

Mum, Dad, Brent and Liam.

Away on Holiday

We have been very lucky and been away on holiday in Busselton. It has been very relaxing and great to all be together. We have been staying in our camper trailer and have so far survived without too much trouble. It has been wonderful to jump of the busy life bus and just sit back and relax and watch the world go by. It is lovely and relaxing to just sit on the beach and watch the birds fly over head, read a book or play cards and see who can win the most times. We have been fishing and actually caught some fish. We had Brent's girlfriend Lidija with us for the first four nights as well as Shane's brother Chris and his wife Taew and her mum, Mama for two nights. We had lots of fun all together in the trailer! Chris, Taew, Mama and Lidija all went home on Monday safely. We will go home tomorrow and settle back into the every day life. It has been a lovely time to reconnect and become closer as a family.

The boys also went and did archery, which was alot of fun. Liam as did the bungy run afterwards which was soooo funny. He was exhausted when he had finished. We have had lots of fun times and laughter, which is just what we needed.